Packaging machine
First Claim
1. A machine for packaging small solid objects between a carrying strip and a covering strip, said machine comprising:
- means on the machine defining a path along which the carrying strip moves including a track which is located intermediate the ends of the path and supports the carrying strip in a horizontal orientation;
drive means for advancing the carrying strip along the path and for also simultaneously advancing the covering strip along a portion of the path that is beyond the track, with the covering strip overlying the carrying strip along said portion of the path;
forming means located along the path ahead of the track for producing pockets arranged in two rows in the carrying strip with the pockets being oriented such that they open upwardly at the track;
a pair of loading trays located on opposite lateral sides of the track for supporting small solid objects generally above and to the sides of the portion of the carrying strip that passes along the track and between the trays, so that the objects on the trays can be manipulated into the pockets of the carrying strip;
a divider rail located between the two trays, the divider rail being slightly above the carrying strip to prevent the carrying strip from rising upwardly off of the track and further being between the two rows of pockets in the carrying strip so as to separate the rows, whereby the objects on the one tray are manipulated into the pockets of the one row and the objects on the other tray are manipulated into the pockets of the other row; and
sealing means for sealing the covering strip to the carrying strip along the areas of the two strips that surround the pockets.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A machine for packaging small objects such as medicinal pills, tablets or capsules has a path along which a carrying strip extends, passing through various stations as it does. At the first station information is printed on the strip. At the next side-by-side pockets are formed in the strip. Then comes a loading station where the pocketed carrying strip passes over a track located between two trays over which are spread the small objects that are to be loaded in pockets. Here the strip also passes beneath a divider rail that extends longitudinally of the strip between the two rows of pockets in the strip to separate those pockets so that the small objects on the trays are easily manipulated into the pockets. The divider rail also keeps the carrying strip from lifting off of the track. Following the loading station a covering strip is directed over the carrying strip, and the covering strip is heat sealed to the carrying strip around the pockets in the covering strip at a sealing station. Immediately after the sealing station is a drive station where the joined together carrying and covering strips pass into a nip formed by rollers which rotate incrementally to advance the strips. The rollers also perforate the strips between the two rows of pockets. Finally, there is a cutting station where the joined together strips are severed transversely between successive pairs of pockets.
49 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A machine for packaging small solid objects between a carrying strip and a covering strip, said machine comprising:
- means on the machine defining a path along which the carrying strip moves including a track which is located intermediate the ends of the path and supports the carrying strip in a horizontal orientation;
drive means for advancing the carrying strip along the path and for also simultaneously advancing the covering strip along a portion of the path that is beyond the track, with the covering strip overlying the carrying strip along said portion of the path;
forming means located along the path ahead of the track for producing pockets arranged in two rows in the carrying strip with the pockets being oriented such that they open upwardly at the track;
a pair of loading trays located on opposite lateral sides of the track for supporting small solid objects generally above and to the sides of the portion of the carrying strip that passes along the track and between the trays, so that the objects on the trays can be manipulated into the pockets of the carrying strip;
a divider rail located between the two trays, the divider rail being slightly above the carrying strip to prevent the carrying strip from rising upwardly off of the track and further being between the two rows of pockets in the carrying strip so as to separate the rows, whereby the objects on the one tray are manipulated into the pockets of the one row and the objects on the other tray are manipulated into the pockets of the other row; and
sealing means for sealing the covering strip to the carrying strip along the areas of the two strips that surround the pockets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- means on the machine defining a path along which the carrying strip moves including a track which is located intermediate the ends of the path and supports the carrying strip in a horizontal orientation;
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7. A machine for packaging small solid objects between a carrying strip and a covering strip, at least one of which is coated with a sealant that is activated by heat, said machine comprising;
- means on the machine defining a path;
drive means for advancing the carrying strip incrementally along the path and for also advancing the covering strip simultaneously with the carrying strip along a portion of the path, with the covering strip overlying the carrying strip along said portion of the path, the drive means including rollers which come together at a nip into which the covering and carrying strips pass in overlying relation, means for incrementally rotating the rollers to advance the strips including a spring and a displaceable chain connected to the spring such that the spring maintains the chain in tension, the chain being coupled to one of the rollers such that the chain will rotate that roller when the chain is displaced in the proper direction, and means for preventing the rollers from turning in the opposite direction, whereby the strips will only advance in one direction along the path;
forming means along the path for creating upwardly opening pockets in the carrying strip;
loading means along the path beyond the forming means and ahead of the portion of the path where the covering strip overlies the carrying strip for facilitating the loading of the small objects into the pockets of the carrying strip;
sealing means along the portion of the path at which the covering strip overlies the carrying strip for sealing the covering strip to the carrying strip around the pockets in the carrying strip, the sealing means heating the strips sufficiently to activate the sealant and seal the two strips together in their areas surrounding the pockets;
a camshaft having cams, one of which periodically displaces the chain of the drive means against the tension exerted by the spring so that the spring force is transmitted through the chain to said one cam of the camshaft where it is capable of exerting torque on the camshaft, the camshaft having another cam which operates the sealing means such that the sealing means forces the strips together during the dwell between incremental advances of the strips by the drive means;
an electric motor positively coupled to the camshaft for turning the camshaft; and
brake means on the motor for preventing rotation of the camshaft when the motor is de-energized, whereby any torque applied to the camshaft by the spring of the drive means will not rotate the camshaft when the motor is de-energized, so that the sealing means remains at all times perfectly synchronized with the pockets formed by the forming means. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- means on the machine defining a path;
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17. A machine for packaging small solid objects between a carrying strip and a covering strip, at least one of which has on it a sealant that is activated by heat, said machine comprising:
- a housing;
a camshaft mounted within the housing;
an electric motor connected to the camshaft for rotating it incrementally;
brake means for preventing the camshaft from turning when it is not driven by the motor;
a drive mechanism for advancing the strips along the housing and including a pair of rollers mounted on the housing and forming a nip into which the carrying strip and the covering strip pass, with the covering strip being located over the carrying strip, and means operated by a cam on the camshaft for incrementally rotating at least one of the rollers in the direction which causes strips to advance along the housing, the drive mechanism also including means for preventing at least one of the rollers from turning in the direction opposite to that in which it turns when the strips advance so as to prevent the strips from moving in the opposite direction;
a forming mechanism mounted on the housing ahead of the drive mechanism and in alignment with the carrying strip for imparting side-by-side pockets to the carrying strip in the intervals between incremental advances of the carrying strip, the forming mechanism including a die that is generally fixed in position on the housing and has side-by-side cavities and punches that align with the cavities, the forming mechanism also including means connecting the punches with a cam on the camshaft such that the cam both moves the punches into the die cavities to impart pockets to the carrying strip and withdraws them sufficiently from the cavities to enable the carrying strip with the pockets formed in it to pass between the die and punches as the carrying strip advances, whereby a succession of side-by-side pockets arranged in two rows are formed in the carrying strip;
a loading device located on the housing between the drive mechanism and the forming mechanism and including a track that is mounted on the housing and is configured to support the carrying strip in a generally horizontal plane with the pockets opening upwardly, the track further being configured to permit the strip to advance when the rollers of the drive mechanism turn, the loading device also including a separate tray located along each lateral of the track at an elevation slightly higher than the carrying strip for supporting the small objects and a dividing rail mounted over the track and extended longitudinally with respect to the track such that it is generally between the two rows of pockets formed in the carrying strip so as to form a barrier for facilitating the displacement of small objects from either tray into the row of pockets that passes closest to that tray, the dividing rail, while being spaced from the track to permit the carrying strip to pass between the rail and the track, nevertheless being located close enough to the track to prevent the carrying strip from lifting significantly off of the track;
means located after the track and before the drive mechanism for directing the covering strip over the carrying strip;
a sealing mechanism mounted on the housing between the drive mechanism and the means for directing the covering strip onto the carrying strip, the sealing mechanism including a pair of surfaces, one of which is mounted in a fixed position with respect to the housing and the other of which is movable between a closed position wherein the surfaces compress the covering and carrying strips together in the regions surrounding the cavities in the carrying strip and an open position wherein the surfaces are spaced apart sufficiently to enable the two strips to advance through the space between them, the sealing mechanism also including a heating device for heating one of the surfaces to a temperature high enough to activate the sealant, the sealing mechanism further including means for connecting the movable surface with one of the cams on the camshaft such that the cam during the intervals between incremental advances of the strips moves the movable surface both into its closed position and into its open position; and
a cutting unit mounted on the housing beyond the rollers for cutting the joined together carrying and covering strips transversely in the regions between successive side-by-side pockets, the cutting unit including a fixed blade mounted in a fixed position on the housing and a movable blade mounted to pivot about an axis that is fixed with respect to the housing so as to move between an open position wherein the joined together carrying and covering strips can pass between the blades and a closed position wherein the movable blade will pass across the fixed blade and cut the joined together strips transversely, the cutting unit also including means connecting the movable blade with a cam on the camshaft for causing the pivoted blade to move to its closed position in intervals between incremental advances imparted to the strips by the rollers. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
- a housing;
Specification